Yes, most states have laws against wearing ear plugs, headphones, earbuds, etc. while driving. They seem generally unenforced, but they are on the books.

The external sound blocking depends on the particular earbud. Some, particularly those with dynamic sound blocking, will block out everything. Others deliberately allow external sounds through. But, like ear plugs, external noise will be reduced. If the external noise being blocked is wind and such, you can actually hear other sounds around you better.

I happen to use speakers in my helmet and ear plugs. Helmet speakers have come a long ways. I have found this setup to work pretty well, for me. The ear plugs do reduce my ability to hear music from those helmet speakers, but only when I’m sitting in the living room or such. Out on the road, I hear the music from those speakers better with the ear plugs in my ears. When on the interstate, surrounded by semi trucks and such, I can barely hear the music from those helmet speakers.

 

As many have mentioned it is illegal to wear them in many states. Personally I like my music too much to be bothered with trying to enjoy it on a motorcycle. Safety is my primary goal and enjoying the ride is a close second. I cannot be distracted by the lyrics or the guitar riffs. I need to hear what's going on around me - including my pipes especially when I am shifting. There are too many boneheads out there who can barely drive and putting us at risk simply by leaving their house.

 

Typical lawmakers passing “feel good” laws based on a false premise and without thinking things through in a logical manner. If it makes sense to outlaw operating a vehicle while wearing headphones/ear buds because they reduce your ability to hear traffic making it too dangerous, then by extension it would also be too dangerous to wear a full face helmet, wear ear plugs, roll your windows up in a modern vehicle that engineers have spent millions of dollars in R&D on to reduce outside noise, listen to loud music, etc, all of which reduce your ability to hear traffic. If simply reducing your ability to hear traffic is so dangerous then clearly deaf people should never be allowed to operate a vehicle.

 

States did prevent deaf people from getting licenses.
Several states still play games with restrictions and requirements on deaf drivers.

 

I was wearing a set of Jabra noise cancelling ear buds. I had no trouble hearing what was going on around me. (Sirens etc). If there was a car to my rear on the right or left, I was aware of their presence without even looking in the mirrors because I could hear the the car tire noise 'whishing' on the pavement.

I've since switched to a Cardo headset with a set of speakers installed in my helmet. It's more convenient because I don't have to mess with the ear buds. I just put my helmet on and ride. Plus, the Cardo charge lasts up to 10 hours. Good for an all day ride.

Headset laws vary state by state. This page shows where you can and can't wear them: --> https://www.vlaw.com/is-it-illegal-t...while-driving/

 

Given any number of combinations between:

• wind noise
• a helmet over your ears
• loud exhaust drowning everything out
• earplugs
• can't hear that well anyway (traffic, other road noise)

I'm not sure what the concern would be. When are you going to "hear what's going on around you"? If you hear tires screeching, or a crash, and you aren't already in the midst of reacting, it doesn't matter whether you can hear or not; it's already far too late to do anything.